There is no doubt that drug addiction is a great challenge that confronts our youth especially in high school and college. The Church, as a loving mother, is committed to inform her children, enlighten their minds, warn them of the danger of drugs, and encourage them to remain steadfast in Christ and keeping his commandment, to always walk in the way of freedom, joy and success.

 With the grace of God, we will talk about this topic from two different angles. First, how does Christianity view drugs? Second, how does the church deal with drugs, or how do we deal with drugs as Christians:

First: Christian view of drug:

We summarize the Christian view of drugs in a few points:

1- Drugs are wasteful and destructive:

It is known that drugs damage the human body tissues specially nerve tissues. It also negatively affects other organs in the respiratory, digestive, and circulatory systems.

If the Bible commands us: “Do not mix with winebibbers, or with gluttonous eaters of meat” (Proverbs 23:20), then drugs as a destructive substance is also covered under this verse which commands us to abstain. The bible also teaches us: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” (1 Corinthian 10:23). It is clear that drugs are not lawful for me, because they do not build but destroy!

I am always amazed by those who underestimate the effects of, some of the wide-spread drugs such as Marijuana and hence use, thinking that it has a “weak effect”. The fact is, these drugs gradually destroy the brain cells. These drugs impair the

human sense of time and distance, in addition to its destructive effects on fertility and lungs, etc.

2- Drugs are enslavement:

God wants man to live in freedom and not to be enslaved to any one or by anything. Christianity in its depth is a call to freedom from the bondage of sin, because “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” (John 8:34). Drugs bind man with strong chains which are difficult to escape form, to the degree of humiliation.

Drug addiction is enslavement to personal desires, it is enslavement to selfishness that favors self-interest over commitments. We may find someone who favors consuming substances over spending on what is beneficial to him, preferring his pleasure over preserving his health that is necessary to his future and success, or to taking care of his wife and children. In some cases, an addict may sell his belongings or household positions to spend it drugs. In this regard, we hear the Bible saying:  “ But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

The Bible also clearly teaches us that: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). If drugs has power over me, then it is certainly not lawful for me.

3- Drugs are corruption and waste of God's grace:

God has given us many blessings such as health, time, and money. Drugs ruin the health and wastes time and money on that which is of no benefit.

Christianity considers man as a sanctified sanctuary for God. If drugs destroy this sanctuary, then we may dare to say that the sin of using drugs is a sin that is directed towards God Himself! Here, the Bible warns us “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

4- Drugs Kill:

It is scientifically known that drugs of all kinds severely destroy the cells of the human body. This leads most of the body organs to quick aging, some organs stop functioning in an irreversible way.

It is not an exaggeration if we describe using drug as a slow killing of man, here we are confronted with a clear and unequivocal biblical commandment: “Thou shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13).

5- Drugs sever man from God:

In Christianity, man enters into a fellowship with God, fellowship of love, live, holiness, and good deeds. In this fellowship, man fully surrenders his life to God, so He blesses it, and brings good fruits within it by becoming a partner with us in our deeds, words, and even our thoughts. Spiritual strive, fasting, and prayer, are nothing but feeding elements to this spiritual fellowship.

The Church asks God in her daily prayers: “Be a partner in work with Your servants in every good deed.” In other words, we ask from God to be our partner in all our work as long as our deeds are good, i.e. I ask God to place His hand in all of my work. I believe that whoever uses drugs cannot dare to ask God to be a partner with him in that act. This means that using drugs causes us to be temporarily cut from God, and this is a great loss for man on the short term on earth and the long term in eternity